Method of making moccasin uppers



Oei. 4, E949. P. E. MEDWED l 43,9%

METHOD OF MAKING MOCCASIN UPPERS Filed April 30, 1946 Patented Oct. 4, 14949 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE` 2 Claims.

This invention relates yto a moccasin or shoe of the moccasin type, and is an improvement over the moccasin shoe described and claimed in my Patent No. 2,228,143 granted January '7, 1941.

It is :an obj ect of the present invention to provide a moccasin or shoe of the moccasin type having an upper which is composed chiefly of a single piece of leather bent to form the toe and side walls of the upper, the marginal portions of the piece being butted and stitched together to form the bottom of the upper and the ends of the piece being stitched together to form the back seam, the present improvement being in the toe portion to improve the comfort of the wearer at this point. In the earlier form of moco-asin such as is shown in my Patent No. 2,228,143, a sock lining was required to cover Ithe wrinkles which are necessarily formed on the bottom of the upper at the toe. tion, a toe plug is inserted in the opening in the bottom at .the toe portion of the upper so as to provide an inner platform for the toes 'of the wearer and to increase the comfort of the wearer whether or not :a sock lining is used. This toe plug is easily and quickly inserted in the course of manufacturing the moccasin and materially strengthens that part of the moccasin as well as making the toe portion of the moccasin more comfortable to the wearer.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof and to the drawing, of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a strip of leather which has been cut to shape so as to form the upper for a moccasin;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a toe plug;

Figure 3 is a modified form of a toe plug;

Figure 4 is :a bottom plan view of a moccasin upper which has been toe-lasted according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a view on the line 5--5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section 'on the line 6-6 of Figure 4.

In Fig-ure 1 is shown ra strip I6 of soft leather suitable for the -upper of a moccasin or shoe of the moccasin type. Prior to lasting, the strip I0 is bent into U-shape so that the portion I2 at the bend constitutes the wall of the toe portion of the finished moccasin, the remainder of the strip serving as lthe side walls of the moccasin upper except for the lower margins I4 rand I6 which are turned under Iand butt-stitched together as at I8 to form the bottom of the upper. 'I'he ends 26 and 22 are stitched together to form the back seam (not shown) of the upper. After According to the present inven-A I this back seam and the bottom seam I8 have been stitched, a fore piece 24 may be stitched to the toe portion ofthe upper.

In cutting the strip I0 to shape, the central or toe portion I2 is made somewhat narrower than the remaining portions of the strip, the margin of the toe portion adjacent to the margins I4 and I6 being suitably notched 4as at 30 so as to form a num-ber of tongues 32. The margins I4 and I6 terminate at their forward end in shoulders 34 and 36 so that when these margins are stitched together to form the seam I8, the shoulders 34 and 36 form at the forward end of the seam a transverse free edge which is the rear edge of an opening in the toe portion of the bottom as indicated in Figure 4. At this stage the upper is placed on a suitable last 38. Before toe-lasting the upper, a stoe plug 46 is inserted in the opening. This toe plug may be in a somewhat semicircular shape and may consist of a piece of leather, nbre board or other shape-retaining material. If preferred, the toe plug may be in the form illustrated in Figure 3, this form consisting of a semi-circular portion 42 having a narrow projection 44 from the rear edge thereof, this projection being preferably skived. The plug 40 or 42 is inserted in the opening forward of the shoulders 34 and 36 so that the rear edge fof the plug is in substantial registry with the shoulders. If a plug is used having an extension 44, this extension projects to the rear of the shoulders 34 and 36, overlapping a portion of the bottom of the upper adjacent to the shoulders. The tongues 32 are thereupon cemented down on the toe plug 46 and a suitable sole and heel (not shown) is secured to the bottom of the upper, and other parts are added as desired to iinish the moccasin (as shown, for example, in my Patent No. 2,228,143.) In the finished shoe, the rear end edge of the plug thus substantially abuts the transverse free edges 34, 36 and the forward portion of the plug overlies the tongues .32.

I claim:

1. Steps in la method of making uppers for moccasins or shoes of the moccasin type winch comprises bending an elongated upper piece and stitching the ends together to form the back seam of the upper, butting and stitching together mutually adjacent edges from said back seam forward to a point near the toe to form a bottom leaving an opening in the toe portion of the bottom, placing the partly formed upper on a last, linserting a semi-circular plate in said opening, and toe-lasting the upper to secure to the plate the adjacent margin of the upper.

2. Steps in a method of making uppers for mfoccasins or shoes of the moccasin type, which comprise cutting an elongated piece of leather or the like with a mid portion narrower than the other portions and with notches in a, margin of said narrow portion to form a series `of tongues in sad margin, stitching the ends of said piece together to form the back seam of the upper, buttstitohing together marginal edges of the wider :portions of thepiece to form a bottom seam leaving an opening at the toe portion of the loottom, placing the partly formed upper on a last, inserting through said opening a semi-circular flat plug of a sufficient size to underliesaid tongues, and

toe-lasting the upper hy eementing said tongues 15 to said plug.

PINCHOSE. MEDWED.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,918,946 White July 18, 1933 1,959,892 Anderson May 22, 1934 2,228,143 Medwed 1 1 Jan. 7, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3,170 France July 22, 1904 21,105 'Switzerland Mar. 12, 1900 

